1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a memory card adapter. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adapter capable of accommodating four types of memory cards including the compact flash card, the multi-media card, the security digital card and the smart media card.
2. Description of Related Art
Following the rapid progress in semiconductor manufacturing industry, memory cards having a variety of capacities and capable of working in different states have been developed. A common trend in the development is to produce a lighter, smaller and compact memory card with a greater memory capacity. Memory cards that can be found in the market include flash memory cards, multi-media cards, secure digital cards and smart media cards. Because the multi-media card belongs to the generation preceding the secure digital card, the memory card adapter for accommodating the digital cards can also accommodate the multi-media card. However, the flash memory card and the multi-media memory card both use different sets of fixed specifications. Each card must thus employ a compatibility adapter to connect with a personal computer, a digital camera or other host machines. In general, a flash memory card has 50 input/output contact points, a multi-media card has 7 input/output contact points, a secure digital card has 8 input/output contact points and a multi-media memory card has 22 input/output contact points. Because each type of memory card has a different number of input/output contact points, multiple adapters must be purchased if the functions provided by a multiple types of memory cards are demanded at the same time. Such variety of adapter cards not only inconveniences a user but also adds to the user""s expense. In addition, a conventional memory card adapter is designed according to the specifications of a particular memory card. Because the memory card specifications are fixed, the memory card adapter cannot accommodate memory card in other states.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a memory adapter card capable of accommodating four different types of memory cards including compact flash cards, multi-media cards, digital memory cards and smart media cards, thereby enhancing the applications of the memory adapter card and facilitating a memory card user.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a memory card adapter. The memory card adapter includes a frame, a flash memory card pin header and a printed circuit board (PCB). The flash memory card pin header is mounted on and electrically connected with the printed circuit board. The flash memory card pin header has 50 contact pins that correspond to a flash memory card. The frame comprises of an upper frame and a lower frame. The upper frame and the lower frame have 22 and 8 contact pins, respectively. The contact pins in both the upper and the lower frames are electrically connected to the printed circuit board. In addition, the memory card adapter has a card insertion terminal and an external connection terminal. The card insertion terminal has a card insertion slot having a sectional profile for inserting a multi-media card and a card insertion slot having a sectional profile for inserting a smart media card. The card insertion terminal also has one or two movable doors next to the insertion slot for inserting a smart media card. The space enclosed by the movable doors and the smart media card is used as an insertion slot for accommodating a compact flash card.
This invention also provides an alternative type of memory card adapter. The memory card adapter includes a frame, a flash memory card pin header and a printed circuit board (PCB). The flash memory card pin header is mounted on and electrically connected with the printed circuit board. The flash memory card pin header has 50 contact pins that correspond with a compact flash card. The frame comprises of an upper frame and a lower frame. The upper frame or the lower frame includes a 22-contact-pin set as well as an 8-contact-pin set. The contact pins are arranged to form a front and back row inside the frame and the contact pins are all electrically connected to the printed circuit board. In addition, the memory adapter card has a card insertion terminal and an external connection terminal. The card insertion terminal has a card insertion slot having a sectional profile for inserting a multi-media card and a card insertion slot having a sectional profile for inserting a smart media card. The card insertion terminal also has one or two movable doors next to the insertion slot for inserting a smart media card. The space enclosed by the movable doors and the smart media card is used as an insertion slot for accommodating a compact flash card.
In this invention, altogether four memory cards including a compact flash card, a multi-media card, a digital card and a smart media card can be inserted into the memory adapter card. This is possible because each contact pin in the adapter card corresponds to an input/output contact point of a corresponding type of memory card.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.